Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines



A. N. HALE Jan. 11, 1944.

I LOOP-TAKER MECHANISMS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 22, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jwilliiilliiltilml Arthur HqLo Jam. 11, 1944.

A. N. HALE LOOP-TAKERMECHANISMS FOR SEWING MACHINES Fi'led Aug. 22, 1941 .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll I.

Arthur IV. HaLe Jan. 11, 1944. I HALE 2,339,165

' LOOP-TAKER MECHANISMS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 22, 1941 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 8 103 F I' J x 314mm Arthur N. Hc'La WXAQM Jan. 11, 1944. L 2,339,165

LOOP-TAKE MECHANISMS FOR SEWING MACHINES- Filed Aug. 22, 1941 4 Sheets-Siheei 4 Patented Jan. 11, 19 44 T LOOP-TAKER MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Arthur N. Hale, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 22, 1941. Serial No. 407,842

36 Claims.

I This invention relates to improvements in looptaker compensating mechanisms for sewing machines having laterally vibratory needles, as in zigzag stitching machines.

Various expedients have been heretofore devised to insure that the looper or loop-taker complemental to the laterally vibratory needle of a sewing machine is adapted to seize needle-thread loops in the spaced loop-presenting positions of the needle. A common practice has been to accelerate and retard the rotation of a loop-taker for this purpose. Another well known form of construction involves reciprocating the loop-taker in a right line or vibrating the loop-taker in an arcuate path in order to position the loop-taker properly for seizing the needle-thread loops of a laterally vibrated needle. These prior constructions inherently impose definite limitations in the possible speeds of operation of the machines, in the width of bight of the zigzag stitches formed, and in the number of needles that may be employed.

The loop-taker compensating mechanism of the U. S. patent to R. M. Sharaf, No. 1,466,149, Aug. 28, 1923, indicates an effort to overcome some of these prior difliculties by the provision of means for imparting orbital compensating movements to a loop-taker. However, this prior construction contained the speed-limiting features of intermittently shifting the loop-taker in its orbital path of movement and of imparting variable speed rotations to the loop-taker. Furthermore, this prior construction contained no provision for adapting the loop-taker compensating mechanism to variations in the amplitude of lateral vibration of the needle.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a loop-taker compensating mechanism which is particularly well adapted for high speed operation. Another object of the invention is to provide a high speed loop-taker mechanism adaptable to compensate for needle vibrations of variable amplitude.

The invention has also for its objects to provide improved rotation-restraining and mechanical-opener means for the thread-carrier journaled in a loop-taker having needle-vibration compensating movements. Other and more specific objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

These objects are attained by mechanism hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front side elevation of a two-needle sewing machine containing the improvedlooptaker mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom I plan view of the loop-taker end portion of the machine. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged vertical section taken transversely of the bed-plate of the -machine and substantially through the axis of rotation of theright hand loop-taker. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged vertical section of the right hand loop-taker mechanism and taken lengthwise of the bed-plate of the machine. Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the right hand loop-taker bracket or hook-saddle, with the looptaker omitted and its shaft shown in horizontal section taken through the opener-actuating eccentrid portion thereof. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the loop-taker bracket, with the loop-taker shaft and its bearing-bushing cut away on substantially the line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6* represents a disassembled perspective view of the upper end portion of the carrier-member employed for adjustabiy supporting the upper loop-taker shaft bearing-member. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the loop-takers, including the loop-taker shaft bearing-member, the thread-carrier rotation restraining means and the mechanical opener.

Referring to the drawings, the sewing machine has a frame comprising a frame-bed It, from one end of which rises the tubular standard ll of a bracket-arm i2 overhanging the frame-bed lengthwise thereof, said bracket-arm terminating at its free end in a head H3. The frame-bed ID has depending front and rear side-flanges It integral with end-flanges it, said flanges providing a plurality of machine supporting ieet IS. The frame-bed flanges have an external substantially horizontal rib iii below the upper or worksupporting race of the frame bed, whereby the machine may be supported in the usual opening of a powertable.

Rotatably journaled in the bracket-arm 12 to extend lengthwise thereof is a horizontally disposed main actuating shaft ll, carrying at one end thereof the usual belt-pulley It. At its opposlte end, the main shaft H is operatively connected for vertically reciprocating two needles I9, 26, which are preierably disposed abreast with respect to the direction of feed of the work The needles, I9, 2:], are vibrated laterally lengthwise oi the bracket-arm l2 by operative connections with actuating mechanism which may be of any usual or suitable construction to effectv the production of zigzag stitches. The specific form'of needle-vibrating mechanism in partjllustrated in bearing-lug 4 the accompanying drawings forms the subject of a separately filed patent application.

The present invention relates more particularly to the supporting and actuating mechanism for loop-takers disposed below the upper or worksupporting surface of the frame-bed l9 and complemental to the endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needles i9, 29, in the formation of stitches.

Within the bracket-arm 12 of the machine, the main or arm shaft carries a pulley 2| connected by a clip-belt 22 with a pulley 23 carried by a bed-shaft 24. The pulleys 2| and 23 are of equal size and thereby have the same angular velocity of rotation. The bed-shaft 24 is disposed substantially parallel to the arm-shaft l1 and is rotatably journaled in horizontally spaced bearing-bosses 25, 25 and 2? provided upon th bed-frame.

Secured upon the bed-shaft 24 for adjustment lengthwise thereof and between the bearingbosses 25 and 25 of the frame-bed is the hub 28 of a spiral gear 29 in driving engagement with a spiral pinion 39. The gear 29 and the pinion 30 are proportioned so that the pinion 39 rotates twice for each rotation of the driving gear 29.

The driven pinion 39 has its hub secured by a screw 3| upon the lower end of a vertically disposed shaft-section 32; said shaft-section 32 comprising a lower or driving section of a flexibly jointed sectional loop-taker shaft. The shaft-section 32 is rotatably journaled in ballbearings 33 and 34 disposed in vertically spaced relation in suitable recesses provided in a vertically apertured bearing lug 35. The bearinglug 35 is integral with and depends from a horizontally flattened supporting plate 35 of a stationary loop-taker bracket 3?. The front and rear side flanges l4 of the frame-bed are provided with inwardly extending and horizontally flattened ledges 38, and the loop-taker bracketplate 36 is provided at the front and rearward ends thereof with a plurality of elongatedslots 39 to receive screws 43 by means of which the bracket-plate 33 is secured to the ledges 38. The slots 39 are elongated lengthwise of the bedframe It! to provide for adjustment of the looptaker bracket 31 longitudinallyof the bed-shaft 24.

The loop-taker bracket 3? has an upper bearing-lug 4| disposed vertically above and spaced from the lower bearing-lug 35. The upper bear- 'ing-lug 4| is vertically apertured to provide a bearing-opening 42, in whichis rotatably journaled a tubular carrier-member 43 having at its upper end a peripheral flange 44. The carrier-memberflange 44 is rotatably supported upon a shoulder 45 formed by a counter-bore 46 provided in the upper portion of the bracketlug 4| The carrier-member 43 has a reduced extension 41 disposed below the lower face of the upper bearing-lug 4|; and secured by .a setscrew 48 upon said reduced extension 41 of the carrier-member 43 is a spur-gear 49. The upper side face of the spur-gear 49 proximate to the bearing-lug 4| is preferably partly cut away to receive a washer 59 interposed between the spurgear 49 and the flattened lower face of the upper It will be understood from the foregoing description that the carrier-member 43 is restrained by its flange 44 and the spurgear washer 50 from endwise movement in the bearing-lug 4|.

The spur-gear49 of the carrier-member 43 is in mesh with a smaller spur-gear 5| suitably secured upon an upright counter-shaft 52 having its opposite ends rotatably journaled in the bearing-lugs 35, 4|; a washer 53 being preferably disposed between the spur-gear 5| and the lower face of the bearing-lug 4|. Secured to the counter-shaft 52 for rotation therewith is another spur-gear 54 in mesh with a spur-gear 55 suitably secured upon the upper end of the shaftsection 32 above the lower bearing-lug 35. The ratio of the speed-reducing gears 55, 54, 5| and 49 is such that the carrier-member 43 is rotated once for four rotations of the shaft-section 32, it being understood that the axes of rotation of the shaft-section 32 and of the carrier-member 43 are coincident.

The upper :end face of the carrier-member 43 is recessed to provide a horizontal guideway which lengthwise extends transversely of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member. One side edge 56 of the guideway recess is undercut and its opposite side edge comprises a substantially vertical shoulder '51. Adjustably seated in said guideway of the sleeve 43 is a horizontally disposed peripheral flange 58 formed intermediate the ends of a vertically tubular bearing-member 59. The opposite sides of the bearing-member flange 53 are cut away to provide downwardly beveled and substantially straight guide edges 59 and 5|, of which the beveled guide-edge 5-9 slidably fits the undercut edge 55 of the carriermember guideway. The other beveled guideedge 6| of the bushing-flange 58 is enga'ged'by an undercut edge of a wedge-block 63 having its opposite vertical side edge in contact with the recess-shoulder 511. The wedge-block 53 is secured, by screws 64, to the carrier-member' 4'3', with the lower face of the wedge-block spaced from the bottom wall of the carrier-member guideway recess, the'wedge-block 63 thereby serving to clamp the flange 58 in different set positions of the bearing-member 59. By releasing the wedge-block 63, the bearing-member 59-may be adjusted diametrically crosswise of the carrier-member 43 from one position, wherein the carrier-member 43 and the bearing-member 59 are concentric, to different set positions wherein the longitudinal axis of the bearing-member 59 is eccentric but parallel to the axis of rotation of the carrier-member 43.

Rotatably journaled in the bearing-member 59 isthe upper shaft-section 55 of the loop-taker shaft-said shaft-section 65 being offset laterally from and disposed substantially parallelto the axis of rotation of the lower shaft-section 32. The upper end of the shaft-section 65' is integral with or otherwise suitably carries a loop-taker fifi which, in the present case, is of the conventional vertical-axis rotary hook'type. The loop-taker 66 has the usual cup-shaped body provided in the cylindrical side wall thereof with a beak 67 for seizing thread-loops from theendwise reciprocatory and laterallyvibratory needle 20, and for casting said thread-loops about a thread-carrier (iii suitably journaled in the looptaker. It is to be understood, however, thatin its broader aspects the present invention is not limited to any specific form of loop-taker. 'As the loop-taker shaft-section is journa-led eccentrically in the carrier-member 43, the loop-taker shaft has imparted'thereto translatory lateral movements in a circular orbital path upon rotation of the carrier-member 43. The amplitude of said orbital path may be varied by'adjustment of the bearing-member 59 crosswise of the carrier-member 4'3.

' The upper shaft-section 65 is rotated in oneto-one relation with the lower shaft-section 32, i. e., twice for each complete reciprocation of the needle, in any set positions of the shaft-' section 65 with respect to the axis of rotation of the lower shaft-section 32. To this end, the hub of the spur-gear 55 secured upon the lower shaft-section 32 is provided with a pair of upwardly open notches 69 alined diametrically of the spur-gear hub. Disposed in the notches 69 are teeth depending from and alined diametrically of a collar II which is suitably secured upon an intermediate shaft-section 12 said collar II being preferably disposed in engagement with the upper end of the lower shaft-section 32 and in spaced relation to the hub of the spurgear 55. The intermediate shaft-section I2 is preferably provided with a rounded or tapered lower end 13 which extends into a bore 14 in the upper end of the lower-shaft section 32, thereby to steady the driving connection between the lower and intermediate shaft-sections.

At its upper end, the intermediate shaft-section 12 carries another collar 15; said collar I5 having upwardly extending driving teeth 16 alined diametrically of the collar. The collarteeth 16 engage notches I1 provided in a collar 18 secured upon the upper shaft-section 65. A washer I9 is preferably interposed between the collar 18 and the lower end of the bearingmember 59, thereby permitting free rotation of the upper shaft-section 65 while holding said shaft-section against upward movement in the bearing-member 59. The upper end of the intermediate shaft-section I2 is preferably also rounded or tapered and extends into a bore 65 in the lower end of the shaft-section 65.

While the loop-taker shaft-sections of the present machine have universal-joint connections of a specific and preferred form as above described, it is to be understood that other forms of universal-joint or flexible shaft connections may be employed for the purpose of rotating the looptaker with a substantially uniform angular velocity.

The thread-carrier 68 of the loop-taker 66 is restrained against rotation with the loop-taker and, to that end, the thread-carrier 68 is provided with the usual stop-lug or -element 80. The stop-element 80 loosely enters a downwardly open stop-notch or complemental stop-element 8| formed in a horizontally disposed bar 82 of an upstanding stop-member bracket 83. The bracket 83 is cut away to provide a loop-taker clearance opening 84 and a laterally offset foot 85. 86 upon a, bracket-plate 81 having a sleeve-hub 88 pivotally embracing the cylindrical upper portion of the bearing-member 59 above the flange 58 thereof. The bracket-plate is thereby fulcrumed upon the bearing-member 59 coaxially of the loop-taker shaft-section 69, whereby the stop-element 8| moves in an orbital path corresponding substantially to the orbital path of the loop-taker 66. The bracket-plate 81 is provided with a rearwardly extending guide-slot 89 in which is disposed an anchoring pivot-block 90; said pivot-block 90 being carried by a vertically disposed anchor-pin 9| secured by a setscrew 92 in an aperture provided in the stationary loop-taker bracket-lug 4|. The bracketplate 81 is therefore guided by the anchoring pivot-block 90 to maintain the stop-element 8I in cooperative relation with the stop-element 80 The bracket-foot 85 is secured by screws during the translatory movements of the" looptaker 66.

The thread-carrier 68 is slightly oscillated in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the loop-taker 66 to open the threadcarrier stops for the passage of needle-thread loops. To this end, the thread-carrier 68 is provided with the usual cam-element 93 adapted to be intermittently engaged by a finger 94 of a mechanical-opener device. The finger 94 is carried by the upwardly extending portion of a horizontally vibratory arm 95. The vibratory arm 95 has one end thereof pivotally supported by a vertically disposed pivot-pin 96 carried by the bracket-plate 81. Intermediate its ends, the vibratory arm 95 is pivotally connected to one end of a short pitman 91, of which the opposite end has a strap embracing an eccentric 98 carried by the upper shaft-section 65 of the loop-taker 66 directly below said loop-taker. The pitman 91 is preferably held spaced by a washer 99 from the upper end of the bearingmember 59 and the sleeve-hub 88 of the stopmember bracket-plate. At its upper end, the loop-taker bracket 31 is provided with an upstanding fiange I00 surrounding a portion of the mechanical-opener and thread-carrier rotation-restraining mechanisms, said flange I00 functioning primarily as an oil-retaining guard.

Being mounted. upon the translatory bracketplate 81, and being actuated from the loop-taker shaft-section 65, the thread-carrier performs substantially uniform thread-carrier oscillating movements in different positions of said loop-taker in the orbital path of the latter.

The bed-shaft 24 adjustably carries another spiral driving gear IOI spaced from the driving gear 29. The driving gear IOI actuates a lefthand loop-taker mechanism which is adjustably supported in the same manner and is structurally the same as the right hand. loop-taker mechanism hereinbefore described. The left-hand loop-taker is complemental to the endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle I9 in the formation of lock-stitches; the parts of said left-hand loop-taker mechanism, so far as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, being designated by the reference numerals applied to corresponding parts of the right hand loop-taker mechanism. While the present machine contains two needles and two loop-takers, the present invention, in its broader aspects, is not to be considered as limited to two needles, as the looptaker mechanism herein described may obviously be employed in a single needle sewing machine.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the Work is advanced crosswise of the plane of vibration of the needles I9, 20 by a feeding mechanism including a feed-dog I02 of the drop-feed type. The feed-dog I02 operates through a suitably slotted throat-plate I03 secured upon the frame-bed I0, said feed-dog being opposed in its upward movement by the usual spring-depressed presser-foot I04.

The feed-dog I02 is secured by screws I05 upon a feed-bar I06 intermediate the ends of said feed-bar. In order to impart work-advancing and return movements to the feed-dog I02, one end of the feed-bar I06 is pivotally connected to an upstanding rocker I01 carried by a rock-shaft I08 disposed in parallelism with the bed-shaft 24. The rock-shaft I08 is journaled in suitable bearings provided in the bed-frame I0 and is operatively connected by a pitman I09 to derive actuation from an adjustable eccentric IIO carried by the arm-shaft l'l. Feed-lift movements are imparted to the feed-dog I82 from a feed-lift eccentric ill carried by the bed-shaft 24 and disposed between the driving-gears 29, NH. The feed-lift eccentric H I is embraced by a strap at the lower end of a pitman I l2 having vertically directed endwise movements within the frame-bed M3. At its upper end, the pitman H2 is pivotally connected to the end of the feedbar Hi5 opposite its connection with the feedadvance rocker Hill In the operation of the present machine, each of the endwise reciprocatory needles l9 and 26 is vibrated laterally to penetrate the work at points spaced from each other crosswise of the line of feed of the work, to effect the production of zigzag stitches. However, the feeding of the work may be omitted, if desired, to effect the production of a group of stitches, as in tacking, buttonsewing and like sewing machines. It is immaterial whether the needles are vibrated toward and from each other, or whether they vibrate in unison and, as hereinbefore explained, one of the needles and its complemental loop-taker may be omitted.

The bed-shaft spiral-gear 29 drives the spiralpinion 3i! and thereby rotates the sectional looptaker shaft 32, 65, it, at a uniform angular velocity, twice for each rotation of the bed-shaft 24. The loop-taker 6%; is thereby rotated twice for each complete needle reciprocation and about an axis which is substantially parallel to the needle. In one rotation of the loop-taker t6, it seizes a loop of thread from its coacting needle and casts said loop about the thread-carrier 58, the succeeding rotation of the loop-taker being an idle rotation during which the work is advanced and the needle is shifted laterally while out of the work.

Being journaled eccentrically in the carriermember '33, the loop-taker 66 While rotating about its own axis is translated laterally and continuously in a circular orbital path defining a field transverse to the needle. The diameter of the circular orbital path of travel of the loop-taker corresponds substantially to the amplitude of lateral vibration of the needle, it being understood that in order to accommodate variations in adjustment of the amplitude of vibration of the needle the diameter of the orbital path of the loop-taker may be correspondingly varied by adjustment of the loop-taker bearing-member 59 crosswise of the axis of rotation of the looptaker. The vertical-axis loop-taker 65 is so located with respect to the endwise vertically reciprocatory needle and the movements of the parts are so coordinated that the loop-taker beak 61 is positioned to seize the thread-loops from the needle at diametrically opposite points in the orbital path of the loop taker. To this end, the loop-taker 6% is, as usual, rotated twice for each needle reciprocation while said loop taker is translated laterally in a semi-circular path from one loop-seizing position at one end of a diameter or" the orbital path to a succeeding loopseizing position at the opposite end of said diam eter. In order to obtain this timing of the lateral travel of the loop-taker, the carrier-member is rotated by the speed-reducing gears 35k, 5!, 54 and 55 to transmit to the loop-taker one-half of its circular orbital movement for each complete needle reciprocation.

Inasmuch as the rotations of the loop-taker 65 about its axis $5 and the rotations of the carrier-member d3 are both derived from the shaftsection '32 which has its. axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of the carriermember 43, the proper timing of the loop-taker with respect to the needle will be maintained regardless of the length of the diameter of the orbital path of movement of the loop-taker.

As the thread-carrier rotation-restraining stop-element 6! and the thread-carrier oscillating'openerefinger 94 are both carried by the pivotally anchored bracket-plate 81 which is fulcrumed coaxially of the loop-taker to partake of the translatory lateral movement of said looptaker, the stop-element 8| and the opener-finger 94 likewise perform translatory movements such as to maintain them effective in successive stitchforming cycles of the laterally vibratory needle.

Having thus set forth the nature of the inven-. tion what I claim herein is:

1. Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a rotary loop-taker, means for transmitting to said rotary loop-taker translatory lateral movement in an orbital path, and driving connections for rotating said loop-taker at a uniform angular velocity during the translatory movement of the loop-taker.

2. Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, comprising, a rotary loop-taker, means for transmitting to said rotary loop-taker needle-compensating bodily movements in a circular orbital path and at a uniform angular velocity, and driving connections for rotating said loop-taker at a uniform angular velocity during said bodily movements .of the loop-taker.

3. Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a loop-taker, means for imparting needle-thread loop seizing movements to said loop-taker, means for transmitting to said looptaker bodily movement in an orbital path, and means for varying the amplitude of the orbital path of movement of said loop-taker.

l. Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, comprising, a rotary loop-taker, driving connections for rotating said loop-taker, means for transmitting translatory lateral movement to the axis of rotation of said loop-taker in an orbital path in timed relation .to compensate for the lateral vibration of said needle, and means for varying the amplitude of the orbital path of compensating movement of the loop-taker.

5. Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, comprising, a loop-taker carrying shaft, 9. loop-taker carried by one end of said shaft, driving connections with the other end of said shaft for imparting needle-thread loopseizing movements to said loop-taker, and means for transmitting needle-compensating movements tosaid loop-taker in an orbital path.

6. Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, a rotary loop-taker, a rotary and laterally translatory loop-taker carrying shaft, driving connections with said shaft for rotating said loop-taker at a uniform angular velocity, and drivingconnections for transmitting laterally translatory movement to said shaft in an orbital path.

7. Loop-taker mechanism for sewing machines having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, comprising, a rotary loop-taker, a rotary and laterally translatory loop-taker carrying shaft, driving connections with said shaft for rotatingsaid loop-taker .at .a uniform I angular velocity about an axis substantially parallel to said needle, and driving connections for transmitting laterally translatory movement to said shaft in an orbital path defining a field transverse to said needle.

8. In a sewing machine, a rotary carrier-member, driving connections for rotating said carriermember, a loop-taker journaled in said carriermember for rotation about an axis eccentric to the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, whereby translatory movement is imparted to said loop-taker in an orbital path, means providing for adjustment of the eccentricity of said loop-taker with respect to the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, and driving connections for rotating said loop-taker 9. In a sewing machine, a rotary carrier-member, driving connections for rotating said carriermember, a bearing-member mounted in said carrier-member for adjustment crosswise of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a loop-taker journaled for rotation in said bearing-member, and driving connections for rotating said looptaker relatively to said carrier-member.

10. In a sewing machine, a rotary carriermember, driving connections for rotating said carrier-member, a bearing-member mounted in said carrier-member for adjustment crosswise of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a rotary loop-taker, a loop-taker carrying shaft journaled for rotation in said bearing-member, and driving connections with said shaft for rotating said loop-taker relatively to said carrier-member.

11. In a sewing machine, a rotary carriermember journaled for rotation about a stationary axis, driving connections for rotating said carrier-member, said carrier-member having a guideway disposed transverse to the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a bearing-member adjustably disposed in said guideway, a looptaker rotatably journaled in said bearing-memher, and driving means for rotating said looptaker at a uniform angular velocity in different set positions of said bearing-member in the guide-way of said carrier-member.

12. In a sewing machine, a carrier-member rotatable about a stationary axis, driving connections for rotating said carrier-member, a bearing-member mounted in said carrier-member for adjustment crosswise of the axis of rotation of the carrier-member, a shaft rotatably journaled in said bearing-member, a loop-taker carried by one end of said shaft, and driving means connected to the other end of said shaft for rotating the loop-taker at a uniform angular velocity in different set positions of said bearing-member in said carrier-member.

13. In a sewing machine, a rotary carriermember having a stationary axis of rotation, a rotary loop-taker journaled in said carrier-member for bodily lateral movement in an orbital path, a flexibly jointed sectional loop-taker carrying shaft having a shaft-section rotatable about a stationary axis, driving connections with said shaft-section for rotating said, loop-taker, and driving connections for rotating said carriermember.

14. In a sewing machine, a rotary carriermember having a, stationary axis of rotation, a rotary loop-taker journaled in said carrier-membe! for bodily lateral movement in an orbital path, a flexibly jointed sectional loop-taker rotating shaft having a shaft-section rotatable about a stationary axis, driving connections with said shaft-section for rotating said loop-taker, and

driving connections with said shaft-section for rotating said carrier-member.

15. In a sewing machine, a sectional loop-taker shaft having a plurality of flexibly jointed shaftsections, including a driving shaft-section journaled for rotation about a stationary axis and a loop-taker carrying shaft-section journaled for bodily lateral movement, actuating connections with said driving shaft-section for rotating said shaft, and means for transmitting bodily lateral movement in an orbital path to the loop-taker carrying shaft-section.

16. In a sewing machine, a sectional loop-taker shaft having a plurality of flexibly jointed shaftsections, including a driving shaft-section journaled for rotation about a stationary axis and a loop-taker carrying shaft-section journaled for bodily lateral movement, actuating connections with said driving shaft-section for rotating said shaft, and connections with said driving. shaftsection for transmitting bodily lateral movement in an orbital path to the loop-taker carrying shaft-section.

17. In a sewing machine, a sectional loop-taker shaft having a plurality of flexibly jointed shaftsections, including a shaft-section journaled for .rotation about a stationary axis and a loop-taker carrying shaft-section journaled for rotation about an axis which is translatory in a circular orbital path concentric with said stationary axis, means for rotating said shaft, and means for transmitting translatory movement to said looptaker carrying shaft-section in said orbital path.

18. In a sewing machine, a sectional loop-taker shaft having a plurality of flexibly jointed shaftsections, including a driving shaft-section journaled for rotation about a stationary axis and a loop-taker carrying shaft-section offset laterally from and disposed substantially parallel to said driving shaft-section, actuating connections with said driving shaft-section for rotating said shaft, and driving connections for transmitting lateral translatory movement to said loop-taker carrying shaft-section.

19. In a sewing machine, a sectional loop-taker shaft having a plurality of flexibly jointed shaftsections, including a driving shaft-section journaled forrotation about a stationary axis and a loop-taker carrying shaft-section offset laterally from and disposed substantially parallel to said driving shaft-section, adjustable means providing for varying the oifset spacing of the axes of rotation of said shaft-sections, actuating conmotions with said driving shaft-section for rotating said shaft, and connections for transmitting lateral translatory movement to said loop-taker carrying shaft-section in a circular orbital path concentric with said driving shaft-section.

20. In a sewing machine, a rotary loop-taker having a laterally translatory axis of rotation, a rotary carrier-member having a stationary rotation-axis, said loop-taker being rotatably journaled in said carrier-member eccentrically of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a rotary actuating element having a stationary axis of rotation coincident with the axi of rotation of said carrier-member, driving connections with said actuating element for rotating said looptaker at a uniform angular velocity, and driving connections with said actuating element for rotating said carrier-member at a uniform angular velocity less than that of said loop-taker. v

21. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary loop-taker complemental to said needle in the formation of stitches and having a laterally translatory axis of rotation, a rotary carriermember having a stationary rotation-axis, said loop-taker being rotatably journaled in said carrier-member eccentricaliy of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a rotary actuating element having a stationary axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of said carriermember, driving connections wi h said actuating element for rotating said loop-taker twice for each complete reciprocation of said needle, and driving connections with said actuating element for rotating said carrier-member once for two complete reciprocations of said needle.

22. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary loop-taker co-rnplemental to said needle in the formation of stitches and having a laterally translatory axis of rotation, a rotary carrier-member having a stationary rotation-axis, said loop-taker being rotatably journaled in said carrier-member eccentrically of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, loop-taker rotating means including a shaft-section journaled for rotation about an axis coincident with the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, and a train of speed-reducing gears connecting said shaft-section and said carrier-member for rotating said carrier-member at an angular velocity less than that of said loop-taker.

23. In asewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a loop-taker supporting bracket, a tubular carriermember rotatably journaled in said bracket, a flexibly-jointed sectional loop-taker shaft having a shaft-section rotatably journaled in said carrier-member eccentrically of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a loop-taker carried by said shaft-section, said shaft extending through said carrier-member and having a driving shaft-section journaled in said bracket for rotation about a stationary axis coincident with the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, means connected to said driving shaft-section for rotating said shaft, and a train of gears connected to said driving shaft-section for rotating said carrier-member.

24. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a loop-taker supporting bracket, a carrier-member rotatably journaled in said bracket, a rotary loop-taker journaled eccentrically in said carrieremember, means for rotating said looptaker including a shaft-section having an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a counter-shaft rotatably journaled in said bracket, intermeshing gears connecting said shaft-section and counter-shaft, and intermeshing gears connecting said counter-shaft and carrier-member.

25. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a loop-taker supporting bracket, a carrier-member riotatably journaled in said bracket, a bearing-member mounted said carrier-member for adjustment crosswise of the axis of rotation of said carrier-member, a loop-taker rotatably iournaled in said bearing-member, means for rotating said loop-taker including a shaft section journaled in said bracket and having an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of said carrier nember, and a train of speed-reducing gears connecting. said shaftsection and said carrienmember.

26. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a stationary loop-taker bracket, a rotary and laterally translatory loop-taker journaled in said bracket and complemental to said needle in the formation of lock-stitches, means for rotating said loop-taker, means for transmitting to said loop-taker translatory lateral movement relative to said bracket'in an orbital path to compensate for the lateral vibration of said needle, a threadcarrier journaled in said loop-taker, and complemental stop-elements for restraining said thread-carrier against rotation with said looptaker.

27. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary loop-taker complemental to said needle in the formation of lock-stitches, a stationary loop-taker supporting bracket, means for rotating said loop-taker, means for transmitting to said loop-taker translatory lateral movement relative to said bracket in an orbital path to compensate for the lateral Vibration of said needle, a thread-carrier journaled in said looptaker, and means for restraining said threadcarrier against rotation with said loop-taker comprising a stop-element disposed for engagement with said thread-carrier, said stop element being supported for movement relative to said bracket in an orbital path corresponding substantially to the orbital path of said loop-taker.

28. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary loop-taker complemental to said needle in the formation of lock-stitches and having a laterally translatory axis of rotation, means for rotating said loop-taker, means for imparting translatory movement in an orbital path to said loop-taker to compensate for the lateral vibration of said needle, a thread-carrier iournaled in' said loop-taker, and means for restraining said thread-carrier against rotation with said looptaker including a thread-carrier engaging stopelement fulcrumed substantially coaxially of'said' 1oop-taker for translatory movement therewith, and pivotal anchoring means confining said stop-element to oscillatory movement about the translatory axis of rotation of said loop-taker.

29. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a stationary loop-taker bracket, a carrier-member rotatably journaled in said bracket, a loop-taker" journaled eccentrically in said carrier-member for translatory movement in a circular orbital" path, means for rotating said loop-taker, means" for translatory movement therewith, and stop-" element anchoring means carried by saidlooptaker bracket confining said stop-element to operative engagement with said thread-carrier throughout the orbital movement of said looptaker.

30. In a sewing machine including an endwise recipro-catory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary loop-taker having translatory lateral, movements in an orbital path to compensate for,

the lateral vibration of the needle, and a threadcarrier journaled in and restrained against rotation with said loop-taker, the improvement which consists in the provision of opener means for slightly oscillating said thread-carrier in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said loop-taker, said opener means including a thread-carrier engaging finger performing substantially uniform thread-carrier oscillating movements in different positions of said looptaker in its orbital path, and means for actuating said finger.

31. In a sewing machine including an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary loop-taker having progressively-translatory lateral movements in an orbital path to compensate for the lateral vibration of the needle, and a thread-carrier journaled in and restrained against rotation with said loop-taker, the improvement which consists in the provision of opener means for slightly oscillating said thread-carrier in a direction opposite to the di rection of rotation of said loop-taker, said opener means comprising a vibratory thread-carrier engaging finger, and means for shifting the field of effective vibration of said finger to correspond with the progressively changing positions of said thread-carrier due to the orbital movement of said loop-taker.

32. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a stationary loop-taker bracket, a loop-taker rotatably journaled in and having translatory lateral movement relative to said bracket, means for rotating said loop-taker, means for transmitting said translatory movement to said loop-taker in an orbital path to compensate for the lateral vibration of said needle, a thread-carrier journaled in and restrained against rotation with said loop taker, a bracket-plate supported for translatory movement with said loop-taker, a thread-carrier oscillating opener-finger pivotally supported upon said bracket-plate, and means for vibrating said opener-finger a plurality of times in each orbital movement of said loop-taker.

33. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary loop-taker, means for rotating said 100ptaker, means for transmitting translatory movement to said loop-taker transversely of its axis of rotation and in an orbital path to compensate for the lateral vibration of said needle, a threadcarrier journaled in and restrained against rotation with said loop-taker, a bracket-plate fulcrumed coaxially of said loop-taker for translatory movement therewith, means anchoring said bracketp1ate for oscillatory movement about the translatory axis of rotation of said loop-taker, a thread-carrier oscillating opener-finger pivotally supported upon said bracket-plate, and means for vibrating said opener-finger a plurality of times in each orbital movement of said loop taker.

34. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a stationary loop-taker bracket, a carrier-member rotatably journaled in said bracket, means for rotating said carrier-member, a rotary looptaker journaled eccentrically in said carriermember for translatory movement in a circular orbital path, means for rotating said loop-taker, a thread-carrier journaled in said loop-taker, a bracket-plate fulcrumed for translatory movement with said loop-taker, means anchoring said bracket-plate for oscillatory movement about the fulcrum-axis thereof, a stop-element supported by said bracket-plate and disposed in engagement with said thread-carrier for restraining said thread-carrier against rotation with said loop-taker, an opener-finger pivotally supported upon said bracket-plate for engagement with said thread-carrier, thereby to oscillate said thread-carrier in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said looptaker, and actuating connections for vibrating said opener-finger.

35. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary and laterally translatory loop-taker complemental to said needle in the formation of stitches, driving connections for rotatingsaid loop-taker at a uniform angular velocity a plurality of times for each reciprocation of said needle, and means for transmitting to said rotary loop-taker translatory lateral movement in an orbital path in timed relation to compensate for the lateral movements of said needle.

36. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory and laterally vibratory needle, a rotary and laterally translatory loop-taker complemental to said needle in the formation of stitches, driving connections for rotating said loop-taker at a uniform angular velocity in successive rotations of said loop-taker, and means for transmitting to said loop-taker translatory lateral movement in an orbital path in timed relation to compensate for the lateral movements of said needle.

ARTHUR N. HALE. 

